The Duchess of Cornwall’s Turquoise Demi-Parure

The set includes a pair of turquoise and diamond earrings and a truly interesting diamond and turquoise necklace. The necklace features classic diamond and turquoise cluster elements, from which lovely cluster pendants are suspended. Between the elements, though, is something unexpected: sections of diamond fringe. Both the earrings and the necklace appear to be nineteenth-century creations, and they’re said to be an inheritance from within Camilla’s family.

I’ve always thought that the necklace and earrings probably form a married demi-parure. To me, the shades of turquoise used in the two are slightly different, and the design of the earrings looks like it complements, but wasn’t made to coordinate with, the design of the necklace. (I’d expect matching earrings to more closely resemble the design of the necklace pendants.)

Camilla has been wearing the necklace and earrings at important events since before her royal marriage. Above, in November 1998, she wears the set with a green velvet gown for a 50th birthday celebration for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove.

And here, in July 2002, she wears the set with a white gown and a turquoise-colored wrap for a fundraising event benefitting a children’s charity. She posed for a photograph during the event, which was held at Somerset House in London, with Sir Elton John.

Camilla has continued to wear the turquoise and diamond jewels since becoming the Duchess of Cornwall in the spring of 2005. Here, she wears the earrings for the Asian Women Of Achievement Awards in May 2005, just a few weeks after her royal wedding.

Later the same year, in November 2005, she wore the turquoise demi-parure for her first Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. For the occasion, she paired the turquoises with another of her family jewels: the Cubitt Tiara.

One of the Duchess’s most successful outings in the turquoises came in March 2012, when she wore them in Oslo during the Diamond Jubilee tour of Scandinavia.

For a dinner with the Norwegian royal family, she wore the turquoises with a midnight blue velvet gown. We got a lovely close-up view of the jewels during the event.

Camilla has also often worn the earrings alone for daytime occasions or less formal evening events. In July 2014, she wore the earrings in Glasgow for a reception following the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

And more recently, in March 2019, she paired the earrings with her Golden Kiwi Necklace for a visit to Basseterre during the royal tour of Saint Kitts and Nevis.